The Vermont Woodturners Guild began in the early 1990s, when a small group of turners started gathering in shops around Vermont to share ideas, techniques, and a common love of the craft.

In 1993, eleven of those turners met in Richmond and formally organized as the Woodchuck Turners of Northern Vermont. They became a chapter of the American Association of Woodturners and began holding regular monthly meetings.

From the start, education was central to the group. Meetings included demonstrations, technical discussions, and opportunities for members to share their work and learn from one another. Over the years, the Guild hosted accomplished guest demonstrators, expanded the range of topics covered, and steadily grew its membership. Turners of all levels found a place to build skills, ask questions, and refine their craft.

What truly defined the organization, though, was the culture. Members showed up for each other. Knowledge was shared freely. Beginners were welcomed. Experienced turners were generous with their time. The Guild became more than a meeting. It became a community built around a shared respect for wood and for the people working it.

An early member and former president of our group who helped shape that culture was Russ Fellows. For many years, Russ hosted meetings and events in his shop at Skunk Hollow in Jericho, opening his space and tools to the Guild and encouraging learning at every level. When Russ passed away unexpectedly in November 2023, the loss was deeply felt. In a remarkable gesture, his lifelong partner, Bob Coates, offered the Guild continued use of the shop and donated Russ’s tools and equipment, including those from his Florida workshop, to the Guild.

That same year, the organization incorporated as a 501c3 nonprofit and adopted a new name: the Vermont Woodturners Guild. The renaming and the establishment of the Russ Fellows Woodturning Center marked a significant step forward. With formal nonprofit status and a dedicated home, the Guild strengthened its ability to expand programming, offer workshops, and serve the broader woodturning community across Vermont.

Today, the Guild continues to host monthly meetings, demonstrations, workshops, and mentoring opportunities. Members range from beginners exploring their first spindle to experienced artists refining signature forms. The focus remains steady: foster the art and craft of woodturning, promote safe and thoughtful practice, and create meaningful opportunities to learn together.

More than thirty years after its founding, the Vermont Woodturners Guild remains rooted in the same values that brought those first eleven turners together: curiosity, generosity, and a shared love of the craft. ​​

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